ACLU goes to bat for Marine who discussed security breach

Rick Rogers

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a court brief urging the Marine Corps to respect free speech and not prosecute a Marine at the center of a security breach at Camp Pendleton.

Pvt. Gary Maziarz pleaded guilty in 2007 to mishandling top-secret federal documents on terrorism and passing them to people with ties to the Los Angeles County Terrorism Early Warning Group. He was imprisoned for nearly two years before being released in July.

Now, the Marine Corps is charging Maziarz with violating an order because he spoke publicly about the theft scheme and his alleged accomplices. Maziarz could be court-martialed.

The ACLU filed a brief with the Navy and Marine Corps' Western Judicial Circuit on Wednesday.

“In this case, the military seems more intent on avoiding further scrutiny and embarrassment than on furthering legitimate military objectives or respecting a Marine's constitutional rights,” said Kevin Keenan, executive director for the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial counties.